France had never counted so many poor. This is the observation of the latest INSEE survey, published on Monday, July 7. In 2023, 9.8 million people thus lived under the poverty line, that is to say with income below 60 % of median income. This threshold, set at 1,288 euros per month for a single person, has become the red line that 650,000 additional people crossed in 2023. In one year, the poverty rate jumped 0.9 points, going from 14.4 % to 15.4 %. THE “”highest level Since 1996, the year when the series begins »alerts INSEE.
First victims: single -parent families and job seekers. Unlike retireewhich were “The least affected” Through this explosion of poverty, ensure Christelle Rieg and Arnaud Rousset, authors of this investigation. The poverty rate of this category increased “only” by 0.3 % in 2023, three times less than the rest of the population (+0.9 %). As a result, 11.1 % of retirees live below the poverty line, against 15.4 % for the national average.
Revalued retirement pensions and greater heritage
And even if the increase in these pensions was lower than inflation, their median standard of living has climbed faster than that of the entire population ( +1.2 %, against +0.9 %). Their secret? First of all, “Pensions of Agirc-Arrco complementary regimewhich were increased by 4.9 % in November 2023, after an increase of 5.1 % in 2022 ”recall the experts. But “Above all, the increase in heritage income”.
Without detailing the exact share of the property (rents) and financial (investments) income, the INSEE specifies with Capital that “THE Heritage income rather benefited from the dynamism of investments (investments and life insurance), as well as the increase in interest rates on exempt booklets ”. In other words, the rates of rates has boosted the savings of the older ones, which are historically better endowed in financial heritage than young people. As a result, the latter were largely distant by their elders in terms of income.
Be careful, however, not to generalize too quickly. Many have neither large investments, nor principal residence or golden pension. THE inequalities remain marked Within this age group, especially according to past careers and gender.
